1973 Jensen Interceptor MkIII

Description

Restored by Cropredy Bridge in 2006 and only 22,000 miles since; large history file; few owners, the current for 18 years; super condition; driven 70 miles to the sale

A heady mix of American muscle, Italian flair and British craftsmanship, the Interceptor just oozed jet set glamour and was an immediate hit with Sixties high society. A natural rival to the Aston Martin V8, it was equally rare, equally expensive, better made and marginally more potent to boot, making it perhaps the classic car bargain of the modern age.

Unveiled at the 1966 Earls Court Motor Show, it was styled by Touring of Milan with some subtle tweaks by Vignale and was initially powered by a 6,276cc Chrysler V8 driving the rear wheels through a TorqueFlite automatic transmission which promised near supercar performance.

The MkII cars came out in 1969 and featured many detail improvements including uprated front suspension and brakes, different front-end styling and a more modern dashboard. Power was also up slightly to 330bhp and 425lb/ft of torque. The last model of the line was the MkIII which came out in 1971 with an even plusher interior, central locking, improved dual-circuit brakes, new GKN alloy wheels and a bigger 7.2-litre engine.

Only 5,620 Interceptors were made in total and only around 600 are still road registered in the UK today so it is still an occasion to see one pass by.

First registered in September 1973 when it had the registration number NUL 30, this gorgeous Interceptor MkIII has no early history but in 1999 it was acquired by a Mr Goodwin of Milton Keynes (the car’s 4^th owner) and gained its current number, NJL 303M.

At this point the car was showing just under 39k miles and it was promptly sent to Interceptor specialists Cropredy Bridge of Banbury for a major service and check-over, as detailed in invoices on file. Over the next seven years Mr Goodwin covered 3,000 miles in the car before returning it to Cropredy Bridge where it was purchased by our vendor in 2006.

He commissioned them to carry out a substantial restoration to get the car into the wonderful condition you see today. This included repairs to the chassis and the bodywork (new sills, floor panels, wing sections, wheelarches etc) plus a full respray from gold to the current shade of turquoise blue which suits the car beautifully and complements the green-tinted Sundym glass.

They also went right through the car mechanically, incorporating various upgrades to ensure that it would be a reliable daily driver. These included a high-torque starter motor, modern alternator, uprated Superpak radiator and Bosch cooling fans. The engine, gearbox, brakes, suspension and steering were also overhauled as required, with many new parts fitted, all detailed in invoices and a CD of images on file.

Our vendor has now covered some 22,000 miles in the car, including trips to Le Mans and back and tours of Scotland and Ireland, the odometer currently showing 63,588 miles. During his 18-year ownership it has been meticulously maintained with regular visits to Cropredy Bridge and elsewhere to keep it in tip-top condition.

Although it no longer needs one, it has been MOT tested every year, the current ticket being valid until 31^st August with just a couple of minor advisories (‘slight oil leak; slight play in o/s/f ball joint; brake load sensing valve linkage defective but function not impaired’). It comes with a nicely presented history folder, parts catalogue, maintenance manual and an indoor car cover, having been garage-stored when not in use.

As you can see in the photos, it looks very nice indeed and we are told that it drives as well as it looks with working air con and none of the over-heating issues that can plague this model.

Driven some 70 miles to the sale, it has been starting promptly and running beautifully as we have moved it around on site, with good 55psi oil pressure. On offer here at a very enticing guide price, this lovely and well-historied Interceptor is ready for new adventures. We like it a lot!

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com